


Summer Job

by gingersinthebluebox



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Hipster Marco, M/M, Modern AU, Punk Jean, Shopping Mall AU, Strong Language, but future chapters, i guess, idk he has an earring and black t-shirt, its just a lot of jeanmarco, jean isnt really punk just punkish, not a lot in this chapter i guess, rated for language, this was just going to be a oneshot fluff piece idk how it ended up like this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 01:12:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1180140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingersinthebluebox/pseuds/gingersinthebluebox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jean Kirschstein hated his home of Trost. Even more, he hated the summer job he got every year. This year, especially, since he longed to be away from home, after getting a taste of the ups-and-downs of college life. But, one day he walks into work and glances at the new store across the hall. He notices the employee greeting customers as they walk in, and Jean Kirschstein can't help but stare...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Job

**Author's Note:**

> **So here we go again  
>  Wishin’ we could start again**
> 
>    
> Wendy run away with me  
> I know I sound crazy  
> Don’t you see what you do to me?  
> I want to be your lost boy  
> Your last chance, a better reality
> 
>  
> 
> _-All Time Low "Somewhere in Neverland"_  
> 

Jean Kirschstein hated work. He hated that stuffy, crowded mall and the noisy shoppers. He hated summer and its hot weather and having to come home. Jean Kirschstein wanted to go back to university. He had only been there one year, but he knew it was better than being here, Trost. No, he didn't like the work load or the early classes or the small dorms. Jean liked it simply because of the fact that it just _wasn't_ Trost. But, all of that changed when he met Marco Bodt. 

  


Jean pushed his way through the midday crowd, scowling at the loud shoppers. He made his way to the dark store stuck between a children's clothing store and a men's suit outlet. Hot Topic housed a thin crowd browsing to loud music, and Jean sighed as he walked through the open door. He passed a group of teenagers crowded around a table of merchandise and strung a black lanyard that read "Hot Topic" in white print around his neck. He flashed a slight smile at the other employee working, a pretty Asian girl wearing a red scarf, before turning to the counter and stepping behind it. 

The day continued normally. Customers walked in, customers walked out. Jean would answer a question, complete a purchase, fold a shirt, check his phone for the time, and repeat. Around twelve o' clock, the store was empty except for the three working there. Mikasa, a girl with shoulder-length black hair and gray eyes, was currently in the back of the store checking inventory, while the two boys were standing in the front. Eren, a skinny kid about Jean's age, was walking around restocking empty shelves and cleaning up messes, while Jean had cashier duty, which, at this time, basically meant staring at the door, praying no one walked in so he wouldn't have to do his job.

Considering it was summer, and lunch time, Jean was surprised by the lack of crowd in the dark store. Still, he was not jealous of the crowd gathering across the hall. They all seemed excited about the recently opened Tilly's and couldn't wait to get inside.

"Wow," Eren said, popping up at Jean's shoulder, "We never get that big of a crowd over here."

"Yeah," Jean muttered. He noticed a boy working at the store. He was about Jean's age, greeting customers as they walked into the crowded store. He was far away, but Jean could see every detail on his face, and something about his dark hair and freckles had Jean transfixed. He was wearing a t-shirt with a cardigan over it. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and Jean could see little freckles on his arms.

"Jean?" Eren said, bringing Jean back to the empty store. "Jean? What are you staring at?"

Jean blinked, realizing he had been looking at the boy for a few minutes. Flustered, he looked at Eren and blurted, "What? I'm not staring at anyone!"

Eren raised an eyebrow, and a grin spread across his face. "I asked you _what_ you were staring at. Not _who_. Jean? Why are you blushing?"

"I'm _not_ blushing!" Jean's voice cracked.

Eren laughed, which caused Jean's face and ears to flush a deeper red. Without saying a word, he leaned over to see Jean's line of view. "Are you staring at him?" He was pointing at the freckled guy, who was talking to a customer and showing them to a line of clothing racks.

Jean slapped Eren's arm away, and almost shouted. "No! Just stop, Eren." He looked at Eren, who was shaking from holding in laughter. Jean let out a breath. "It's twelve. I'm going on my break." Jean pushed Eren out of the way and moved out from behind the counter. He stalked out of the store, leaving Eren alone.

Mikasa came to the front room then. She walked to where Eren stood, his face red from laughter. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What happened?" she asked, in a tone that sounded like she didn't really want to know.

Eren grinned, his blue eyes bright, "Kirschtein's got a crush."

  


Jean slowly munched on a French fry, looking around the crowded food court. He observed the crying babies, loud groups, and whispering adults, scowling. He smashed a fry into a small puddle of ketchup and thought about how long he had until summer was over.

It was when he was finishing off the last of the root beer in a plastic cup that he heard a voice behind him. "You work at Hot Topic?" Someone asked him.

Jean coughed. Being snuck up on and drinking at the same time was not a good combination. He whirled around, ready to yell at whomever it was that had startled him, when he realized who it was. It was the dark haired boy, freckles showing clear on his skin. The one who worked at Tilly's across from Hot Topic. So, instead, Jean smiled. "Yeah! How'd you know?"

The boy pulled up a chair and sat across from Jean at the table. He propped his elbows on the table and looked at Jean with big brown eyes, almost hidden behind huge black-framed glasses. "You're wearing a lanyard that says 'Hot Topic' on it about a gazillion times."

Jean looked down, realizing that he had neglected to remove the lanyard when he had stormed out of the store. "Oh yeah," Jean let out a short laugh, "I guess I forgot to take it off." He looked up just in time to see the boy smile. A bright, happy, and _endearingly cute_ smile that made Jean want to smile too.

The freckled boy stood up then, still smiling. "Well, I work at Tilly's. Y'know, the one that just opened across from you? Stop by anytime."

He turned to walk away, but Jean called out, "Hey, Freckles, what's your name?"

He turned back to Jean. "Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Marco. Marco Bodt. And you are?"

_Marco Bodt_ Jean thought, _Even his name is cute_. Jean smiled at Marco. "I'm Jean Kirschtein."

Marco grinned that contagious grin and said, "Nice to meet you, Jean Kirschtein. I'll see you around." Then he turned, and walked toward one of the many restaurants in the food court, leaving Jean with a pile of French fries, an empty plastic cup, and a wide grin on his face.

  


Jean shuffled back through the doors of Hot Topic, the glee from his encounter with Marco having faded long before. He noticed more of a crowd had gathered since he had left to go on break, but Mikasa and Eren were handling it. It seemed that it was going to be Jean and Mikasa handling it then, because as soon as Eren caught a glimpse of Jean, he tossed the CDs he was sorting to him and announced, "Finally, I can go on _my_ break." He almost ran out of the store, smoothly weaving between shelves and customers. Mikasa, who was standing behind the counter completing a purchase, only sighed as she watched him go.

Jean examined the CDs Eren had given him and went to finish sorting them. Mikasa bagged a purchase, said goodbye to the customer, and walked over to where Jean stood. He looked up from the Pierce the Veil and Panic! At the Disco albums he was sorting alphabetically and glanced at her. He could've sworn she had a slight smirk on her face, but with the red scarf covering some of her face and the dim lighting, he couldn't be completely sure.

"Eren says you have a crush," she told him quietly.

"Do not!" Jean squeaked.

She responded coolly, "Okay, okay. You don't have to be so defensive. I was just telling you what Eren said." Instead of waiting for a response, she walked back to the counter where a group of teenagers were waiting to make a purchase, and left Jean alone. He felt his face grow warm, and although no one was around, he hid it in his hands.

  


Three hours later, Jean looked down at his phone. The moment he had been waiting for all day, four o'clock, had arrived. He looked at Mikasa, who was talking to Eren about a clearance sale they were starting next week, at the front of the store. "My shift's over," he announced, "See you tomorrow."

They didn't look up as he walked out of the store, but Mikasa raised her hand and waved it slightly. Jean was rushing out of the store, but this time, he remembered to take his lanyard off. Jean stuffed it in his pocket and was about to turn to the closest exit when he looked up at the Tilly's sign. _What the hell,_ Jean thought, _Might as well stop by._

He walked through the door and was immediately greeted by loud music and a line stretching from the check-out counter in the front corner to a clothing rack housing women's t-shirts. Jean craned his neck to see the employees. There were three working the counter; a tall black-haired guy with quite a nose, a buff blond guy who barely fit behind the counter, and a shorter blonde girl whose expression conveyed so much disinterest, she might as well not have been there at all. There were also three people working the floor. A mahogany-haired girl and a short, bald guy were laughing at something, and obviously slacking off, in the corner of the men's section. There was also a guy with long blond hair and boyish features walking towards Jean where he stood.

He wore a smile and a name tag that read "Armin". "Can I help you with anything?" Armin asked, smiling at Jean.

Jean looked at him, then around the store. He was wondering if he should ask the kid about Marco, and he decided to, since he couldn't find him anywhere. "Yeah, actually. Do you know Marco?"

"Marco Bodt?"

"Yeah, yeah. Him. He works here, right? Do you know him?"

Armin nodded, "Marco works here, but his shift ended an hour ago, sorry. Do you want me to tell him anything?"

"No. No, it's fine, thanks." Jean turned and walked to the door. He didn't care if the guy thought he was odd, or was giving him a weird look, because he was free, for the day. And Jean knew, tomorrow, he was going to talk to a certain freckled Bodt.

**Author's Note:**

> Excuse any mistakes. I've never worked at Hot Topic and my best reference was someone whose brother worked there for a day. It was just a try at a silly AU, but I put too much thought into it and it ended up being more than a one shot. I'm hoping for more fluff, and as little angst as I can manage. I'm not about that. This chapter is a little short, and future ones may be longer, but I have yet to see. I've had a lot of help with developing this idea, so thanks to those who helped me. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Expect more soon (maybe).


End file.
